XPR3300 in industrial noise environment

[hockeyref2]

Hello,
I work at a manufacturing facility with high noise levels, up to and over ~100db in areas. (1500hp motors, high pressure blowers, fans, compressors, conveyors, hydraulic pumps, forklifts, etc)
We currently run analog with PR860, xpr 3300/3300e and cp200d with remote speaker mic's. We are looking to migrate to DMR, likely on xpr3300e with the noise cancelling RSM's.

I have been testing out various DMR settings on two XPR 3300, and even got SINC+ (advanced noise cancelling) and RX audio leveling added to them to play with. (Simplex)

The issue is this. when transmitting in loud areas, things seem much more touchy in DMR. The audio level seems to go up/down a lot for the person on the receiving end, and at times you have to talk very loud, or nothing at all comes over (voice is getting noise cancelled?) and you need to use great mic habits. I have also heard where it sounds like banging coming over the radio in the background as well.. Audio clarity also gets very bad. Although you don't hear the background noise. In analog you hear the background noise, but you can talk in a normal voice and be heard. AGC is enabled. Running latest firmware (2.09)

Thoughts on how to improve things?
Thanks

 

[TampaTyron]

A couple of things.... the advanced noise cancelling and noise cancelling mic fight each other. Turn off the advanced noise cancelling when using the noise cancelling accessory. Next, disable AGC, and go with fixed gain. If you post your exact accessory part number, I will post gain settings for analog and digital that may work better. Remember, there is no magic fix and be very suspicious of anyone who says there is. Be especially suspicious of anyone with an M on their chest when dealing with audio issies..... TT.

 

[hockeyref2]

Thanks TT,
We are using IMPRES Noise-Cancelling Remote Speaker Microphone (PMMN4071). I have asked our dealer the same question and they said they would get back to me... not sure what his shirt says, as he is across the country ;-p

 

[TampaTyron]

Disable enhanced noise suppressor (no more than basic). Disable accessory analog and digital AGC and try analog 6db gain, digital 10db gain. Perform some testing. Then compare to 3db analog and 7db digital. I don't have that mic in my sheet, my sheet is older. Report back. TT

 

[hockeyref2]

Thanks for the info. I have a couple of radios programmed with AGC turned off and your suggested settings. Unfortunately we are in an extended maintenance outage and so it will be awhile before I have noise again to test!

 

[TampaTyron]

And to muddy the waters even more. A very prominent user from another Professional Type communications board has a very good post regarding this very thing. It is interesting that his experiences are different than mine. However, dont take anyone's word at this. You must find the settings that work best for your users in their situations. TT

 

[RadioGuy7268]

... and make sure that you're using the same firmware & codeplug on the units you're testing out. The non-e units will act & respond differently to the same settings as compared to a similar model "e" unit.

Receive Audio Leveling seems to be about the only Plug & Play audio enhancement that works well out of the box IMHO. The rest all require trial & Semi-SWAG guessing games, while trying to duplicate the enviroment you plan to deploy them in. You should probably also have access to Moto Tuner, as many of the audio levels will never reach what they should be until you tweak and tune them with Tuner.

At least they don't sound like the proverbial donald duck trapped in a tin outhouse any more.

 

[hockeyref2]

We are in the middle of a major project and are shut down so i don't have any noise to test in! I did some testing with AGC On/Off (with various gain settings when off) and RX Audio Leveling On/Off in various combinations. In a quiet office environment, I got the most consistent audio, even when greatly varying the position of the remote speaker mic, with AGC on and RX Leveling on. My dealer told me that there were reported issues with SINC and RX Audio leveling in older firmware but has been fixed in 2.9.